Tuesday, 23 December 2008

This is yet another successful Nigella recipe from her Christmas book. I made these Chocolate Puddini Bonbons to serve alongside my Star-Topped Mince Pies with coffee on Sunday, when I had my in-laws over for the day. They may look like baby Christmas puddings but these babies taste like meltingly rich, spiced chocolate truffles! Everyone loved them and my mother in law was pleased to see I had added a box of them in their Christmas Hamper.

Line a baking sheet (that will fit in the fridge) with clingfilm, baking parchment, foil or Bake-O-Glide, and set it to one side while you make the bonbons.

Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended above a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer's guidelines. Crumble the cold Christmas pudding into a bowl, add the sherry and golden syrup and stir briskly till all is incorporated.

Pour in the melted dark chocolate and stir again: this will make the mixture much more cohesive.

To make this step easier, put on a pair of those disposable vinyl gloves sold in hardware stores and supermarkets, pinch out small lumps of mixture and roll so that you have little rounds about the size of a chocolate truffle. You should get about 30 out of this mixture; fight the impatient urge to make these balls larger as you go.

Cover with clingfilm and slot into the fridge to firm up.

To decorate, melt the white chocolate either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer's guidelines, then let it cool for about 5 minutes, to make it easier to work with, while you chop the red cherries into small pieces (to evoke berries), and snip the green cherries (or angelica) into miniature lengths, to represent leaves.

Using a teaspoon, drip a little of the melted but slightly cooled white chocolate on each bonbon, then arrange the infuriatingly sticky pieces of cherry on top.

Place in boxes to give away -- if you use small boxes that will fit 6 bonbons each, you will get 5 adorable presents out of this -- or on a plate to hand round with coffee, instead of dessert, after a post-Christmas dinner.

Makes about 30

Make ahead tip:

Make the bonbons up to 2 weeks before eating or giving. Pack in boxes and store in a very cool place. If made 2 weeks ahead, add a label to say "keep cool and eat within 1 or 2 days".

I'm not sure why they haven't firmed up but they should be at the stage where they are firm enough to roll and keep their shape. Youc ould try adding more xmas pudding to the mixture if its too liquidy. Sorry I can't be of more help.

I also had trouble with the Chocolate Puddini bonbons firming up. It maybe because I forgot to cook the Xmas pudding! So I just cooked it slowly in the microwave once the choc and sherry had been mixed in! I added some crushed up Amaretti biscuits and 25g more melted chocolate and hey presto the mixture seemed ok to make into balls and has firmed up in fridge. Phew.

About Me

Hello and Welcome to The Goddess's Kitchen!
My name is Maria and reside in Surrey, UK. I'm a full time domestic goddess (thanks to my hard working hubby), wife and mother (I love my work). I'm also a nannie to my beautiful grandson called Ollie, who I just love to bits! My other babies are my 2 beautiful but spoilt kitties, Madison and Coco. My passion is cooking and baking and my kitchen is my sanctuary. I love being able to share my love and joy of food with my family, friends and fellow foodie bloggers. I confess to having a "slight" amazon addiction and love to browse and buy beautiful cookbooks and own over 200 cookbooks, a collection which grows regularly!